Apparatus for cooling finely divided material



P. B. NIELSEN 3,002,289

APPARATUS FOR COOLING FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL Oct. 3, 1.961

2 ee 8- ee 1 FIG. 4

FIG. i

Filed Feb. 15, 1957 FlG. 3

INVENTOR FOUL BESSERMANN NIELSEN BY %/w;/@Mwm 7 4 ATTORNEY Oct. 3, 1961 P. B. NIELSEN 3,002,289

APPARATUS FOR COOLING FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL Filed Feb. 15, 1957 5 sheets-Sheet 2 I my 4 INVENTOR 'POUL BESSERMANN NIELSEN 2am 1 m? g ATTORNEYS P. B. NIELSEN 3,002,289

APPARATUS FOR COOLING FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL Oct. 3, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 15, 1957 INVENTOR POUL BESSERMANN NIELSEN flm/Vp/ ATTO R N EYS APPARATUS FOR COOLING FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL Filed Feb. 15, 1957 P. B. NIELSEN Oct. 3,' 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. I2

INVENTOR POUL BESSERMANN' NIELSEN ATTORNEY} 1961 P. B. NIELSEN 3,002,289

APPARATUS FOR COOLING FINELY DIVIDED MATERIAL Filed Feb. 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR '2 POUL BESSERMANN NIELSEN ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent Q ration of New Jersey Filed Feb. 15, 1957, Ser'. No. 640,476

6 Claims. (Cl. 34-5 This invention relates to apparatus for cooling powdered materials capable of being rendered fluent by air difiused through them, examples of such materials being ground cement, cement raw materials, alumina, coal dust, etc. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel apparatus for cooling materials of the type referred to, which is of simple inexpensive construction, is efficient and reliable in operation, has n moving parts, and requires little attention in use. The apparatus occupies little ground area and it can be constructed for use in a space of limited height.

1e apparatus of the invention comprises a chamber or tower of a height much greater than either of its transverse dimensions and having walls of substantial area, which are made of heat-conducting material and are main tained at a temperature lower than that of the material to be cooled. The tower has an inlet and an outlet for the material so disposed as to insure that the material travels along a long path in passing through the tower and the length of the path may be increased by suitable baffie means, such as partitions attached alternately to the top and bottom walls and extending part way to the opposite wall. The cooling of the heat-conducting walls may be effected in any desired way and sprinkling means directing water jets upon the walls near the upper. ends thereof are satisfactory.

The passage of the material through the tower is facilitated by introducing air into the material to aerate it and cause-it to flow with turbulence, so that all particles of the material are brought close to or into contact with the heat-conducting walls. The aeration is effected by providing the bottom of the tower with porous plates of a total area not substantially less than the cross-section of the tower and air under pressure is admitted to plenum chambers closed at the top by the plates and escapes upwardly through plates into the material. The air passing up through the body of material causes it to soothe and flow through the chamber with the desired turbulence, U

material in the two towers are the same, so that both towers take an equal part in the coolingaction.

The cooling of the heat-conducting walls of the tower or towers of the apparatus may be effected in various ways other than by sprinkling so as to insure best. use of the cooling medium and the towers may be constructed in such manner that each tower has more than two walls confining the material and abstracting heat therefrom. For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the apparatus on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view through the apparatus at right angles to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

3,602,289 Patented oct. 3,1951- FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a form of the asparatus having a plurality of towers connected in series;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

PEG. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 7 of a form of the apparatus having an annular tower; l 5

FIG. 7 is of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, of a modified form of the apparatus include: ing two hollow towers;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8';

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of another modified form of the apparatus;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of another modified form of the apparatus;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 13, 14, and 15 are vertical sectional views of other modified forms of the apparatus.

The form of the apparatus of the invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises a chamber or tower 10, which is oblong in cross-section and has relatively wide side walls 11, 12 made of heat-conducting material, such as sheet iron. The powdered material to be cooled is supplied to the tower through a pipe 13 leading to an inlet opening 14, which is preferably formed in one end wall near the top of the tower. Within the tower, the material is supported upon a floor 15, which lies slightly above the bottom of the tower and forms the top of a plenum chamber 16, to which air is supplied through a valved pipe 17. The floor 15 is made wholly or in part of porous iiuidizing plates, so that air supplied to chamber 16 may pass upward through the plates and into the material within the tower to render the material fluent and to cause it to seethe and flow with turbulence. The air escaping from the material issues from the tower through vents 18 at the top of the tower and the cooled material is discharged through an outlet opening 19 formed in the other end wall near its a horizontal sectional view on the line 7-7;

bottom with the material conducted away from the opening through a valved pipe 20.

In its passage throughthe tower from the inlet 13 to the outlet 19, the material may be caused to travel along a tortuous path, as, for example, by means including a baffle 21 extending downwardly through the tower from the top and lying in front of inlet 13. -The bafi'le 21 terminates above thefioor 15 and a second baflle 22 rises from the floor between bafile 21 and the outlet opening and terminates short of the top of the tower. The baffles thus cause the material entering the inlet to pass downward and beneath bafile 21, after which the material rises between the baflies and then passes over the top of bafile 22 and downward along the outer side of baffle 22 to the outlet.

The material is cooled in its travel through the tower by means of a cooling medium, which may be water directed against the wide side walls of the tower. The water is supplied by a valved pipe 23 to troughs 24- extending across the side walls near their upper ends and constructed to discharge water against the side walls. The water is collected in troughs 25 extending across the side walls nearv their lower ends and the water'is led from troughs 25 by pipes 26..

The form of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 includes three towers 27, 28, 29 lying side by side. The towers are generally of the construction illustrated in FIG. 1, although those illustrated are not provided with baffles corresponding to baflles 21, 22. The tower 27 has an inlet 30 for material in one end wall near the top.

thereof and an outlet 31 for the material through a side wall near the lower end thereof and adjacent the other end wall. The outlet 31 is connected by a pipe 32 to an top at a plenum chamber 103 supplied with air under pressure through a pipe 104, the air escaping through one or more vents 105. The material entering the bottom of the tower through passage 91 escapes through'an outlet 106 leading from the tower.

In order to insure a long travel of the material through the apparatus, the material is supplied to' tower 81 through an inlet pipe 107, which enters the tower through its top at a point diametrically opposite the connection of passage 91 to the tower and terminates a short distance above the bottom of the tower. The material then leaves tower 81 through an outlet pipe 108, which is connected to one end of passage 91 and extends upward into tower 81 to terminate a short distance from the top thereof.

'The travel of the material through tower 92 is prolonged by placing the outlet 106 near the top of the tower and in diametrical relation to the connection of passage 91 'to' the tower.

The operation of the apparatus of FIG. is similar to that of FIGS. 8 and 9, but an increased cooling efit'ect is obtained by the use of the inlet and outlet pipes 107 and 108.

The apparatus of FIGS. 11 and 12 is similar to apparatus of FIG. 10, except that the inlet and outlet pipes 107, 108 are not employed and the travel of the material through the towers 109, 110 is prolonged in different manner. The towers are connected at their lower ends by an aerating passage 111, which is similar to the passage 91, and tower 109 has a vertical partition 112 lying at one side of the inlet 113 into the passage 111. The tube 114 supplies material to tower 109 through the top of the tower and close to and on the side of the partition 112 opposite to the outlet 113. The tower 110 has a vertical partition 115 at one side of and close to the connection 116 of passage 111 to the tower and the tower has an outlet 117 leading from its interior near its upper end and on the side of partition 115 opposite to the connection 116.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 13 includes a tower 118 having a bottom 119 formed of porous plates closing the top of a plenum chamber 120 supplied with air for aeration through a pipe 121, the air escaping through vents 122. The tower is connected by an aerating passage 123 to a similar tower 124 and the passage has an inlet tube 125 extending upwardly from the passage into tower 118. An annular cooling chamber 126 extends into tower 118 through its top and the space within the inner cylindrical wall 127 of the chamber is open at the bottom and has a closed top with vents 128 and a material inlet pipe 129. Cooling water enters the cooling chamber through an inlet pipe 130 extending through the top of the chamber and terminating near its lower end and the water is led away from the top of the chamber through a pipe 131 to a trough 132 encircling the upper end of the tower and discharging the water in jets against the outer surface of the tower. The water is collected in a trough 133 encircling the tower near its lower end and led away through a pipe 134.

The tower 124 contains an annular cooling chamber 135 similar in all respects to the chamber 126 and is cooled externally by water, which has passed through the chamber and is directed against the outer Wall of the tower from a trough 136. The tower is provided at its bottom with aerating means generally designated 139 and has an out.et pipe 141) leading from the tower near its upper end and at a point diametrically opposite its connection to the passage 123.

The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 13 is similar to that of the apparatus of FIG. 10, but a greater cooling action is obtained in that the cooling chambers 126 and 135 have surfaces in contact with the material, which are of greater area than the corresponding surfaces of chambers 82 and 96.

The form of the apparatus shown in FIG. 14 1s similar to one of the towers employed in the apparatus of FIG. 13 and includes a tower 141 having an aerating bottom 142 and top air vents 143. An annular coolingchamber 144 extends into the tower through its top and the space inside the inner cylindrical wall 145 of the chamber is closed by a top 146 having air vents 147 and an opening, to which the material supply pipe 148 leads. Cooling water is introduced into the chamber through a pipe 149, which extends through the top of the chamber and terminates close to its bottom, and the water leaves the chamber through a discharge pipe at its top, which conducts the water into a trough 151 encircling the top of the chamber and constructed to discharge water upon the outer side wall of the tower. The water is collected in a trough 152 encircling the tower near its lower end and having a discharge pipe 153. The material, which enters the tower from pipe 148, travels down through the interior of the annular cooling chamber and then passes up outside the chamber to a discharge pipe 154. As in the construction shown in FIG. 13, the apparatus described has three surfaces, through which heat is taken from the material.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 15 comprises an annular tower 155, which is provided with a floor made of porous plates 156 closing the top of a plenum chamber 157 sup plied with air through a pipe 158, and the air traveling upwardly through the chamber escapes through top vents 159. The space defined by the inner cylindrical wall 160 of the tower is closed at the bottom and water from a trough 161 lying above the top of the space is directed by a battle 162 upon the interior of wall 160 and is led away from the bottom of the space through a pipe 163. An annular cooling chamber 164 open at the top is formed within the tower by concentric walls 165, 166 and an annular water trough 167 is mounted above the top of the chamber and discharges water upon a bafile 168, which causes the water to how down walls 165, 166. The lower end of the chamber is connected by a plurality of pipes 169 to the space within the inner cylindrical wall 169 of the tower and the water is led off through pipe 163. A trough 1'70 encircles the tower near its upper end and is supplied with water by a pipe 171, which also supplies water to the troughs 161 and 167. The water from trough 170 is discharged from the trough and flows down the outer cylindrical wall of the tower to be collected in a trough 172, from which the water is led off through a branch pipe 173 connected to pipe 163. The material to be cooled is admitted through a supply pipe 175 into the space defined by the walls 160 and 166 of the cooling chamber and travels downwardly through the space and then upwardly outside wall 165 of the chamber to a discharge pipe 176.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 15 is a development of that shown in FIG. 14, but is more efiicient in that it includes four surfaces, through which heat may be abstracted from the material.

While the apparatus has been described as used for cooling powdered materials, it will be apparent that it can be employed in the heating of such materials. When the apparatus is used for heating purposes, the heating medium is caused to travel in contact with the heat-conducting walls of the apparatus and, when appropriate, the walls may be jacketed to confine the medium.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for cooling a hot powdered material, which includes a pair of independent chambers, each being of substantial height in relation to its transverse dimensions and having relatively closely spaced opposed vertical walls of heat-conducting material, one chamber having an inlet for admitting powdered material into the chamber near its upper end and an outlet for discharge of powdered material near its lower'end, the other chamber having an inlet for admitting powdered material into the chamber near its lower end and an outlet for discharge of powdered material near its upper end, a connection outside the chambers between the outlet of the first chamber and the inlet of the second, means for causing a 7 flew ofa cooling liquid along the outer surfaces of the heat-conducting walls of the chambers, and means at the bottom of each chamber for introducing air into the powdered material within the chamber to render it fluent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes means at the bottom of the connection for introducing air into the powdered material traveling through the connection.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a third chamber, which is of the same construction as the first, a connection between the outlet for powdered material from the second chamber and the inlet for powdered material into the third chamber, means for causing a cooling liquid to flow in contact with the outer surfaces of the heat-conducting walls of the third chamber, and means at the bottom of the third chamber for introducing air into the powdered material Within the chamber to render it 4; An apparatus for cooling a hot powdered material, which includes a pair of independent chambers each defined by inner and outer coaxial heat-conducting walls, one chamber having an inlet for material at its upper end and an outlet for material at its lower end, the second chamber having an inlet for material at its lower end and an outlet for material at its upper end, a connection between the outlet of the first chamber and the inlet of the second, means for causing a cooling liquid to flow over the external surfaces of the inner and outer walls of the chambers, and means at the bottom of the chambers for introducing air into the material to render it fluent.

- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which means disposed between the walls of at least one chamber prolong the travel of the material from the inlet to the outlet.

6. An apparatus for cooling hot powdered material which comprises a pair of chambers each having inner and outer vertical coaxial heat-conducting walls connected at their upper ends, the outer wall. extending downward below the inner wall and the inner wall being, double and defining an annular cooling chamber, a closure for the upper end of the inner Wall, a closure for the lower end of the outer wall, and means for causing a flow of cooling liquid through the annular cooling chamber and along the outer surface of the outer wall, the first chamber ha}:- ing an outlet for material at its lower end and an inlet for material at its upper end leading into the space defined by the inner wall of the: annular cooling chamber, the second chamber having an inlet for material at its lower end and an outlet for. material at its upper end, a connection between the outlet of the first chamber and the inlet of the second, and means at the bottom of eachchamiher for introducing air into the material within the chan her to render it fluent.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS a gamma 

